Final answer:
A therapist who focuses on the counseling relationship as the basic approach in therapy employs client-centered therapy, developed by Carl Rogers. It relies on providing unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy, enabling clients to lead their therapy sessions. This approach remains prevalent in current clinical practice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The therapist who emphasizes the counseling relationship as the basic approach in therapy is associated with client-centered therapy, a concept developed by American psychologist Carl Rogers. In client-centered therapy, also known as person-centered therapy, the therapist provides unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy, creating a supportive environment that encourages clients to take the lead in their therapeutic sessions. This approach allows individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment, facilitating personal growth and self-understanding.
Unlike other methods, such as psychoanalytic therapy which involves interpretation of unconscious content by the therapist, client-centered therapy focuses on the client's self-directed process of healing. As Rogers believed that individuals have inherent potential for self-improvement, the role of the therapist in this modality is more of a facilitator than an expert-analyst. This therapeutic method has remained influential and is still commonly used in various clinical settings today.